As the mobile multimedia market grows, more and more mobile operators around the world are considering EDGE implementation in their mobile networks in order to attract new subscribers and to generate new revenue streams.

"EDGE provides an attractive option for operators looking to bring in additional revenue through such high-speed wireless data applications as real-time audio and video streaming, digital photo imaging, MP3 music capabilities, MPEG4 video playback and interactive games," said Allen Nogee, principal analyst, wireless technology, InStat/MDR. "EDGE-enabled phones are expected to account for nearly a quarter of GSM handsets produced worldwide by the end of 2005 and close to 50 percent by 2007."

By selecting technology from Philips, TCL & Alcatel Mobile Phones will extend its future-proof approach for the GSM/GPRS market and offer its mobile infrastructure customers an advanced and efficient EDGE solution.

In addition to its high-speed data capabilities, the ARM9???-based system solution features fully integrated software algorithms from Philips Software. It includes the revolutionary LifeVibes??? Voice Hands Free acoustic echo canceller and noise reduction algorithm for speaker phones and the LifeVibes Multimedia Video Encoder Service and Video Player Service (VPS) that enable the capture playback and streaming of real-time 3GPP and MPEG-4 audio and video files. The VPS also enables the playback of MP3 and AAC-LC audio files. Other functionalities include JTWI compliant JAVA, software polyphony, DRM, hardware security, Mono Interference Cancellation (also known as SAIC), WAP/MMS and Bluetooth 1.2 with a large set of profiles.